Episode Details

A senior minister claims the government is blocking a royal commission from investigating whether intelligence agencies diverted counter-terrorism funding before the Bondi massacre, sparking outrage over alleged misuse of public interest immunity to shield political embarrassment. While ASIO head Mike Burgess insists his agency didn’t obstruct the inquiry, he notes the Commonwealth’s standard practice of protecting cabinet documents—including a sensitive memo—unless the commissioner, Virginia Bell, overrides it. The interim report reveals a sharp drop in counter-terrorism funding between 2020 and 2025, even as overall spending rose. Burgess defends ASIO’s pivot to foreign interference and espionage after 2022, saying resources were sufficient despite the shift. The Attorney-General admits she must verify who requested document suppression, with Bell holding the final authority on disclosure.

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